Fire-extinguisher for ships



(No Model.)

W. D. T. TRAVIS.

TIRE EXTINGUISHER FOB SHIPS.

No. 404,132. Patented May 28, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. T. TRAVIS, OF BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER FOR SHIPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,132, dated May 28, 1889.

Application filed September 21, 1888. Serial No. 285,984. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. T. TRAVIS, of Burlington, in the county of Burlington and State of New Jersey, have invented anew and Improved Fire-Extinguisher, of which the following is a full, clear, an d exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved device for extinguishing fires on ships and other marine vessels.

The device consists of a spring valve or valves hinged on the ship below the waterline and opening outward when unlocked, so as to flood the interior of the ship and to extinguish any existing fire.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which the figure represents a sectional side elevation of part of a ship provided with my improvement.

In connection with my device for flooding the vessel I shall use means for buoying the vesselto prevent engulfment. The means for buoying the vessel may be of any approved construction. I prefer, however, the construction set forth in my patent, No. 387,933, granted to me under date of August 14, 1888.

The improved device A for flooding the vessel is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and is provided with a valve, B, seated on a seat, 0, formed in the wall of a ship, D, so that when the said valve B is opened outward, as shown in the drawing, the water surrounding the ship can fiow through the seat into the interior of the ship D. The device A is therefore located a suitable distance below the water-line of the ship, and is preferably hinged at its upper end to the upper end of the seat 0, as shown. The free end of a spring, E, fastened on the inside of the seat C, presses against the inner face of the valve, so as to force the valve outward into an open position, when the said valve is released by the means presently to be described.

The means for releasing the valve B from its seat consist, preferably, of a small iron or steel cable, F, fastened by one end to the inner face of the valve B, then passing over a pulley, G, and through the several decks of the ship D to the upper deck, where said cable is wound on a windlass, H, of any approved construction.

The operation is as follows: The valve B is locked in a closed position on its seat 0 by the cable F, wound upon the Windlass H, which is held in a locked position by the usual ratchetwheel and pawl or other suitable device. Now, when a fire breaks out on board of a ship out of reach of the hose the operator unwinds the cable F from the Windlass H, so that the force of the spring E causes the valve B to swing outward, whereby the water surrounding the ship can pass through the seat 0 into the interior of the vessel, thus flooding the same and extinguishing any existing fire.

Suitable meanssuch as described in my patent above referred to-may be employed for buoying the ship while it is flooded,'and after the fire is extinguished the Windlass II is again used to wind up the cable F, so as to close the valve B, and then suitable machinery is employed for removing the water from the interior of the ship by pumping, pneumatic pipes, &c.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a vessel-hull provided with an opening therein below the water-line, of a valve hinged to the outside of the vessel adjacent to said opening, a spring secured to the hull and having its free end engaging the said valve, and means for looking the valve closed against the action of the spring, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the hull of a vessel provided with the valve-seat 0, below the water-line, of the valve B, hinged to the seat, the spring E, secured to the inside of the valve-seat and having its free end engaging the valve, the Windlass II, and the cable F, secured to the valve and Wound on the windlass, substantially as herein shown and described.

WILLIAM D. T. TRAVIS.

\Vitnesses:

J. B. CASSADY, WILLIAM W. SLACK. 

